Two gay men
by Lizzy3
Summary: Okay, Harry is adopted by a gay couple when he's 1 instead of the Dursleys. Okay, this is changing from a humor story to somewhat of a drama. I hope you enjoy this new chapter! Harry finally faces Lord Voldemort, read on. R&R!
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer- The plot is most defiantly mine! I've never read this anywhere else. All the characters that belong to JK Rowling are hers and the new ones are mine. This is supposed to be funny. This is a what-if story so don't review me and tell me it couldn't have happened that way.  
  
"But Albus, he can't stay with the Dursleys! I've watched them all day and they're the worst sort of muggles I've ever seen," Professor McGonagal said sounding distressed.  
  
"I know, you're right Minerva but where else can we take him? Sirius is in prison and Remus couldn't possibly take care of a child in his state. The only other relatives Harry has live in a mental hospital!" Dumbledore exclaimed.  
  
"We could put him up for adoption and over see the process so we make sure he's with the right people," she answered hopefully.  
  
"I suppose that would work and it's worth a try. I don't think we could possibly leave him with these people. Did you see their son! He's going to have a serious weight problem when he gets older," Dumbledore said, leading Minerva toward the end of Private Drive.  
  
~Meanwhile at the home of Tom Barkley and Harrison Tyler~  
  
"But Tom, we'll never find a child at this rate," Harrison said extending his manicured hand in an exasperated fashion.  
  
"Well it's not my fault Harrison, if you weren't so picky choosy we would have a baby right now," Tom said, playfully slapping Harrison on the knee.  
  
"I doubt it, no one will give a gay couple a baby anymore! They're all so prejudice," Harrison said sighing deeply.  
  
"We have to keep trying, I know there's a perfect little Harrison Thomas Jr. somewhere out there, we just have to keep looking," Tom said beginning to type away at the computer in earnest.  
  
"Wait, you passed one," Harrison said, gesturing franticly at the computer screen. "See, Harry James Potter. Parents died in a car crash just a week ago. Poor thing, he's got a funny shaped scar on his head. Oh Tom let's get him, let's get him," Harrison said clapping his hands with exuberance.  
  
"You're right, let's try for this one. I quite agree, he's perfect," Tom said copying the address onto a piece of pink paper.  
  
Later that day Tom and Harrison traveled to the adoption agency, (Kimber Memorial, Dumbledore and McGonagal had a friend there). "Hello, you must be Mr. Barkley and Mr. Tyler. I'm surprised you found little Harry so fast," a tall lean woman said from behind a desk. "I'm Cynthia Wurlwright, just follow me to the nursery, Harry's playing with the other children," she said, leading them down a white hallway.  
  
"Thank you for meeting us Ms. Wurlwright, we just fell in love with Harry the moment we laid eyes on him," Tom said.  
  
When they got to the nursery Cynthia picked Harry up and brought him over to them. Harrison gave a little peep of rapture then quickly covered his mouth. "Would you please follow me to the child/adult interaction room, we like to see how you interact before we think of you as possible parents," she said.  
  
Harry bonded with them. Of course that was no surprise for he was a very flexible child and bonded with anyone who would open their arms to him. They loved Harry and Harry loved them and Cynthia seamed very pleased. She had no problem with homosexuals and had a soft spot for Harry.  
  
Now Cynthia was the friend of Dumbledore. Her daughter went to Hogwarts and Dumbledore had taken her under his wing. Julia, Cynthia's daughter, had had a traumatic life after her father left.  
  
~That night~  
  
"So, what were they like?" McGonagal asked excitedly.  
  
"Well they were good people. I think you should know that they're gay. It's two men, Thomas Barkley and Harrison Tyler. I hope this doesn't affect your decision," Cynthia said.  
  
"Really? Well it's fine with me, better them then the Dursleys. I was just wondering Cynthia, could you speed up the adoption process. The protection charm we placed over this facility is temporary and not very strong," Dumbledore replied.  
  
"Sure, in fact, they can come and fill out some paperwork tomorrow then leave with Harry. We just have to review their living facility and we can send someone over tonight," Cynthia answered with a sigh of relief.  
  
"Well, then I guess it's settled. Thank you Ms. Wurlwright," McGonagal said as she got up to leave.  
  
An orphanage staff person went over to Tom and Harrison's house that night and found that it was and ideal living condition for a child. They even had a room set aside for a baby and everything was baby-proofed.  
  
The next day Harrison and Tom came over early and did paperwork all morning then, at noon, Harry said farewell to Kimber Memorial forever. They had christened him Harry, (it was close to Harrison anyway), Potter Barkler, (a combination of Barkley and Tyler).  
  
The first day of family life dawned at 5:00 a.m., which was when Harry got up. The two men were happy to see their son. They had been waiting for a long time to get a child and finally they had one that suited them perfectly. They had breakfast and then decided to go to the park. Harrison and Tom wanted to show Harry off to all their friends.  
  
"OHHHH," a man in tight leather pants squealed running up to the couple. "That's him! What's his full name?" the man, (Colin Combs), asked, tickling Harry's cheek.  
  
"Harry Potter Barkler," Tom said proudly.  
  
"Oh that's just precious!" Colin exclaimed.  
  
A/N- So how do you like it so far? I just wanted to relay in this fic how much I support homosexuality and how loved those kids who get adopted by them are. Anyway, the next chapter is going to be funnier so please REVIEW!!!!! 


	2. Birthday

Disclaimer- You know the drill, I'm not going to do this again.  
  
Harry lived a very happy life. When he was a baby he was doted on by his parents and by his parents friends. Hell, everyone he met doted him on. Harrison and Tom loved their son more then anything in the whole world including each other. When he cried in the middle of the night, when most parents would scream, they would both get up and comfort him till he went back to sleep.  
  
They didn't care if Harry grew up to be gay or straight, actually, they couldn't imagine loosing their baby to anyone, man or woman.  
  
Harry grew up into a bright-eyed 5-year-old boy with messy black hair and bright green eyes. Daddy, (Harrison), and Papa, (Tom), had given him the best of everything they could buy. Harry only wore name-brand clothing, (mainly gap kids); he had two pairs of Calvin Kline glasses, etc. They even got him a tiny pair of leather pants with a shiny, silk, Ricky Martin  
  
Harry had a large circle of friends. There was Timothy, Jameson, Georgia, Vivian, Sylvie, and Gretchen. They were all the adopted children of Harrison and Tom's friends. He also had some friends with straight parents. Their parents were also friends of Harrison and Tom. Jennie, Harriet, Kelvin Jr., Lily, Lucy, Karen, Nan, and Myra were a few of them. All around Harry lived a life full of happiness.  
  
"PAPA, DADDY!! HELP MEEEEEEEEE!" Harry screamed in the middle of the night. The only thing that wasn't perfect in Harry's life was his night terrors. He had them often and they scared him to death. It was always the same, a big green light and the screams of a couple.  
  
Harrison and Tom rushed into Harry's bedroom and turned on the light. Harry was thrashing on the bed, tears falling down his face. Tom sat down on his bed and pulled him into his lap. Harry curled up to him and grasped his robe. He whimpered softly and gradually fell asleep. Harrison stroked his head.  
  
When Harry woke up the next morning he walked down to the kitchen. "Good morning Harry," Tom said smiling at him and putting a plate of toast at his seat.  
  
"Thank you Papa," Harry said settling himself at his plate. Harry gobbled down his breakfast and sat, waiting expectantly for instruction.  
  
"I thought we'd go shopping today Harry, what do you say?" Harrison asked, looking up from his paper.  
  
"Okay, but I want to get ice cream after," Harry sighed. His parents loved shopping but he didn't enjoy it very much. His parents made him try on outfit after outfit and he didn't even like cloths that much. The only good thing about shopping was that he always got ice cream afterward.  
  
"Okay, we'll get ice cream," Tom chuckled. Harry got ready and they set out. They took a trolley to the mall and went in. "Where to first?" Tom asked.  
  
"Toy store, toy store," Harry exclaimed.  
  
"No, I think we'll try Dillard's," Harrison said leading Harry toward the large store. They went in and went to the men's section. Tom went and got about a billion things to try on. He got about five pairs of different colored leather pants and just as many jeans. Harry sat with Harrison and watched as Tom came out to model each outfit. Harrison would eight her shake his head vigorously or nod enthusiastically. Finally they left the men's department with 6 outfits for Tom and 4 for Harrison. Harry then got dragged to the boy's section. They went through each pile picking up things.  
  
Harry had to try on each outfit in much the same fashion as Tom had. He hated doing it and Harrison and Tom gushed over him and they always left the store with far more cloths then Harry could ever hope for. Harrison and Tom allowed Harry to drag them to the toy store where he got a new bike and a toy gun.  
  
After everything they went to the ice cream place and Harry got a big scoop. Harrison and Tom didn't get much because they insisted that they were getting way to fat. Harry sat happily at the booth and ate his ice cream. He saw a little girl with big brown eyes and bushy brown hair march in with her parents. She got a sugar free scoop of chocolate with sprinkles and a cherry.  
  
They sat at the table adjacent to Harry and his parents. "Hello, my name is Harry Barkler," Harry said to the little girl.  
  
"Hermione Granger," she replied smiling. "Did you come here to go shopping for cloths?" she asked eyeing the bags.  
  
"Yeah," Harry said rolling his eyes and grinning showing his missing front teeth.  
  
"That's quite a smile there son," Dr. Granger said.  
  
"Thank you, I brush every night and morning, plus, I floss too," Harry replied proudly.  
  
"Good to hear, that means you won't be seeing me for a filling," he said.  
  
"You must be a dentrist," Harry replied knowledgably.  
  
"Dentist Harry," Tom chuckled.  
  
They got up to leave and they headed home. All the way home Harry talked about his new friend. It was "Hermione this and Hermione that" the whole way home.  
  
~Day before Harry's 11th birthday~  
  
"Don't you want a party Harry?" Harrison asked.  
  
"No Dad, I just want to sit at home. I'm tired and I" Harry was cut off by Tom coming to the room.  
  
"Now Harry, I won't take no for an answer. We're having a party at Julian's; you know the restaurant that Laura works at. Everybody's going to be there. I got you a new suit," he said. Harry through his hands up in the air in exasperation. He hated when they did this. He wasn't Mr. Sociable. He stomped up to his room. Mysteriously, his suit fell into the fire.  
  
"Don't worry, I've got another one," Tom called up the stairs.  
  
The next morning Harry woke up early. At first he thought it was nerves. Then he saw an owl sitting at the base of his bed. It had a letter clutched in its beak. He opened the letter it had a wax seal that had a big H surrounded by some other things he couldn't decipher. The letter read:  
  
Hogwarts School  
  
Of Witchcraft and Wizardry  
  
Headmaster: Albus Dumbledor  
  
(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc. Chf. Warlock,  
  
Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. Of Wizards)  
  
Dear Mr. Harry Barkler, We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hagwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment. Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31. Yours Sincerely, Minerva McGonagal Minerva McGonagal Deputy Headmistress  
  
"Is this some kind of sick joke?" Harry asked himself. He romped down the stairs to find his parents busily making a big breakfast. "Papa, is this your doing?" he asked thrusting the letter under Tom's nose.  
  
"No, I didn't do this Harry," Tom said in all seriousness.  
  
"There was a school list in the envelope and everything, you don't think it could actually be real do you?" Harry said looking at the letter.  
  
"Don't know, you could try returning the letter. How did it come, post hasn't arrived yet," Harrison said, looking up from his egg making.  
  
"It came by owl!" 


	3. Hogwarts Representatives

"It came by owl!"  
  
"What, owls that deliver letters? How cute!" Harry rolled his eyes.  
  
"You think I should try sending it back?"  
  
"It's worth a try, but what would you write?"  
  
"Well, I guess I'll ask if it's a joke. Ask for some proof."  
  
"That's a good idea, you should do that. After that you can put on you're new suit and come down to open presents." Harry sighed and climbed back up the stairs. He took out a pencil and scribbled a letter on a piece of paper. He addressed the envelope Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry since he had no other option.  
  
"I don't know what else to do, I guess I'll just give this to you," he mumbled at the owl. He put on his suit with a scowl on his face. He looked at his reflection in the mirror. Nice glasses, big green eyes, unruly black hair, and a thin frame. He sighed one last time and went back down to the kitchen.  
  
"I knew that color looked good on you!" Tom exclaimed coming over to straighten his tie.  
  
"You look very hansom," Harrison said. "Come open your presents." Harry sat at the table. They had done it this way for as long as he could remember. They would have a party in the afternoon and in the morning he would open his presents from his parents. He opened the first. It was a CD player and a couple of CD's. He opened the next, it was a few shirts (he disgared these items), and finally the last present was opened. He gasped; it was a vintage Super Man Comic. He collected them.  
  
"Thank you sooooooo much. How the hell did you get this?"  
  
"Language Harry. I'm really glad you like it. We searched and searched." Harry gave them both hug.  
  
~Hogwarts~  
  
Dumbledore was opening Harry's letter. He read it and laughed to himself. He pulled out a piece of parchment ready to write a letter back but put it back down. "I'll just go there and show him," he said to himself. He got up and put on his cloak before going to McGonagall's office. "Minerva, he's written a reply. Asks for proof, thinks this is some sort of joke." Minerva smiled and collected her cloak as well.  
  
The two Professors walked to Hogsmeade before apparating. They surfaced in the living room of Harry's house with a pop. Harry jumped and turned around (he had been reading a book on the couch). His eyes got very big before he ran off to his parent's room. "Dad! Papa! 2 weird looking people just popped into the living room," he screamed. The two men ran down the stairs expecting nothing to be there.  
  
"See Harry, no one-" Harrison looked up and caught sight of Dumbledore and McGonagall.  
  
"Hello, I'm Professor Albus Dumbledore, I'm replying to young Harry's letter." Harry stared open mouthed.  
  
"You mean that stuff was real?" Tom said slowly.  
  
"Yes indeed, in fact, young Harry is in it deeper then you realize."  
  
"What? Please sit down and explain," Harrison gestured to the sofa.  
  
"Well, I suppose we should begin at the beginning? Okay, you adopted Harry after an alleged car crash that killed his parents correct?" Tom and Harrison nodded slowly. "Well, his parents were a witch and wizard. They went to Hogwarts themselves. Anyway, an evil wizard named Voldemort realized that the two were a lethal combination, much to powerful to let around. Meanwhile the couple had a son, Harry. When they found that Voldemort was after them they went into hiding. It's a bit confusing but it was a spell. We won't go into it any further but the spell failed. Voldemort found them and James tried to fend him off and let Lily and Harry run but Voldemort was too powerful. He was killed and Voldemort cornered Lily in Harry's bedroom and asked Lily to give Harry over. You see, Lily was a lot less powerful without James by her side but Harry was a combination of the two and even more powerful then his parents. She refused and she gave her life for him. After she died Voldemort tried to kill Harry but he couldn't, all Harry was left with was that scar on his head." Dumbledore stopped, a tear slipping down his long nose. "Lord Voldemort was destroyed that night, or at least he was reduced to a spirit of some sort."  
  
"Was there a flash of green light when this Voldemort kills?" Harry asked, noticing McGonagall flinch at the name.  
  
"Yes, how do you know?" Dumbledore asked with interest.  
  
"I-I've had these dreams my whole life. Every night, I've seen this flash of green light and an evil laugh. I had no idea what it was before."  
  
"I see, that's very interesting."  
  
"So, how do we know you didn't just make this up?" Harry asked suddenly.  
  
"Well, I suppose I could do a bit of magic," Dumbledore said, a gleam in his eye.  
  
"Albus, you know you're, we're not supposed to," McGonagall said in a worried tone.  
  
"Have a heart Minerva, just a little summoning charm that's it. Anyway, no one would arrest the famous Albus Dumbledore!"  
  
"You really shouldn't use your fame to do pranks," Minerva mumbled. Harry smiled; he already liked the old man.  
  
The man took a long stick out of his pocket and raised it up. "Accio Viagra!" he said, flicking the long stick. Tom blushed deeply.  
  
"I have a hormonal imbalance!" he exclaimed. Harrison patted him lovingly on the back. Harry shuddered and glared at him. Dumbledore tossed the bottle to Tom with a grin.  
  
"Is that proof enough for you?"  
  
"Yeah, that's really cool. How do I learn to do that?" Harry asked.  
  
"You come to Hogwarts, it's our school. Your name's been in the book since you were conceived."  
  
"How do I get a wand?"  
  
"Well, you get it in Diagon Alley. If you're parents agree we can take you."  
  
"We can't today, Harry's got a Birthday Party," Tom said. "A party that we're going to be fashionably late for a might add. You two are welcome to come." They seemed to have little trouble in believing the two professors.  
  
"We couldn't infringe," Minerva started.  
  
"We'd love to," Dumbledore looked pointedly at her. She glared at him but nodded at Harry. "Here Minerva, let me help you with your cloths, can't go to a Muggle party in a robe," Dumbledore flicked his wand in her direction turning her sweeping black robes into a pair of tight leather pants and a red halter top. She blushed and quickly changed her clothing into a simple skirt and sweater set. Dumbledore had no intention of being low-key though. He appeared in a bright red Hawaiian shirt and a pair of green leather pants.  
  
"Ugh! That's just horrendous!" Harrison exclaimed before he could stop himself. Harry burst out laughing.  
  
"I (laugh) wish (grunt) I (harder laugh) could dress (Bone shattering laugh) like that (rolling on the floor)," Harry said.  
  
"No son of mine would be caught dead in-in that thing," Tom remarked.  
  
"I haven't the slightest idea what you mean! I quite like my sense of style," Dumbledore said trying to keep in his laughter.  
  
"Albus really, you are impossible," Minerva flicked her wand carelessly in his direction and he was in a neat navy blue suit. She had also made his hair and beard short.  
  
"You better hope this isn't permanent! I've been growing this beauty for 50 years," he exclaimed. They all got into the car and sped off to Julian's. Harry stuck close to Dumbledore and McGonagall, quite liking their company. His friends were different then he was. They actually liked cloths and were relatively normal but he-he had always been different.  
  
"And who are these people?" George Pintisotis gushed, coming over to Harry.  
  
"This is Albus Dumbledore, and Minerva McGonagall, they're friends of mine. Professors, this is George Pintisotis, friend of my parents," Harry said. Then the time came in the evening when the cake was brought out. It was an obscenely large, 5-layer cake in green frosting with huge letters spelling out "Happy 11th Birthday Harry on the front of the layers. Harry blew out the candles and everybody cheered. After cake it was presents. He opened then graciously though he didn't really get anything he wanted. He got several pairs of leather pants, a bunch of Ricky Martin style shirts, tons of Barbara Strisand CD's and some other worthless junk that he smiled and thanked people for.  
  
By the end of the afternoon Harry was beet. They left after the last guest (George) left and went home. "That's quite a haul there Harry," Dumbledore remarked.  
  
"Yeah, to bad I don't like Barbara Strisand!" he laughed.  
  
"We have a gift for you as well. I believe Hagrid slipped us one too." Dumbledore reached into a bag he had hidden somewhere. He pulled out a gift wrapped in red wrapping paper with a gold ribbon then one wrapped shabbily in green paper with a black ribbon. Harry ripped the wrapping off the first one. It was some sort of cloak, it was liquidy and an indescribable color.  
  
"What is it?" Harry asked.  
  
"It's an invisibility cloak. See?" he covered Harry's body with the cloak. "Look," Harry looked down and gasped, he wasn't there! After recovering from the shock he opened the second gift. It was not so spectacular as the cloak but just a simple Birthday Cake. "Hagrid wasn't sure if you had gotten one." On the cake in loopy green lettering were the words: Happy Birthday Harry! Harry smiled, he felt like he liked Hagrid already.  
  
"So, who is this Hagrid?" Harrison asked from the front seat.  
  
"Rubeus Hagrid is our Keeper of grounds and keys at Hogwarts," Dumbledore answered. "He has quite a soft spot for Harry, knew his parents." Harry didn't notice but Harrison flinched a little.  
  
When they got back to the house they went inside. "Would you like to stay here for the night? I mean it's only 5:00 but. I don't know," Tom stammered.  
  
"I really must be getting back but I don't know about Albus," McGonagal said looking at the aged professor.  
  
"If it's alright I'd like to take Harry to Diagon Alley tomorrow to get his school supplies," Dumbledore said looking at the two men.  
  
"That's fine with us, goodbye Professor," Harrison said shaking McGonagall's hand.  
  
That night Harry slept fitfully. Somehow knowing that a real live wizard was in the next room was a bit unnerving. Giving in he got up. He walked past Dumbledore's room and noticed that the light was on. He stepped into the doorway. He observed that the old man was crying softly. He had a photograph gripped in his hands. It was a picture of a young girl with long brown curls and bright blue eyes. Dumbledore slowly swept his thumb over the girl's face and his shoulders heaved more. He suddenly turned to see Harry.  
  
"I'm sorry to bother you Professor, I'll just go down stairs to get a cup of tea."  
  
"No, stay. I suppose you're wondering who this young lady is?" He patted the desk chair near the bed. Harry sat down. "This was Nadia, my granddaughter. Voldemort killed her along with my son Marvin and his wife Maren. They were a perfect couple. Did you know that even their names fit together? Marvin means "Friend of the sea" and Maren means "Of the sea." It was obvious that the old man was close to tears.  
  
"I'm sorry," Harry tried to sound as comforting as he possibly could. After a while of silence Harry finally asked what had been weighing on his mind for a long time. "Sir, if I may ask, what were my parents like?"  
  
"They were the nicest people I've ever met. James, your father, was very smart, good at Quidditch too. Lily was beautiful inside and out, she was exceptionally smart as well and considerate to everyone. They were so happy when you were born, I remember your father saying that you completed him and your mother just doted on you all the time.." He trailed off. Harry nodded. He had always known that at some point he had had a mother and a father but to know their names and to know someone who knew him was weird.  
  
"I better get back to bed, big day tomorrow." Harry went back to his room and had another dream. It was more vivid then any others he had ever had. He saw an evil looking guy killing the little girl in Dumbledore's picture then murdering two people who were obviously his parents. The next day he woke up in a nervous state. He walked to the kitchen to find Dumbledore sitting with Harrison and Tom at the table eating breakfast.  
  
"Good morning Harry! Sleep well?" Harrison asked brightly. Harry shook his head distractedly. "You'll be going to this Diagon Alley place pretty soon so hurry up with your breakfast," he continued in a slightly less happy voice. Harry nodded and choked down a piece of toast before going back up stairs to change. He pulled on a pair of comfortable jeans and a blue polo. He ran his hands threw his hair and pulled on drove his feet into his flip- flops. He appeared down stairs looking a bit less haggard.  
  
"Good, you're ready. We can go now," Dumbledore looked at Harry. The look was a little frightening, like he was piercing into Harry's very soul. Harry looked away quickly. They once more piled in the car and sped off. They drove around London before Dumbledore told them to stop. He led the group to an unobtrusive pub with a sign reading "The Leaky Cauldron".  
  
"This is it?" Harry asked.  
  
"Yes, it's more then it seams though," the group followed Dumbledore into the pub. A room full of eyes immediately popped up. They all shot up to Harry's forehead and their eyes got very big. Some of them jumped out of their chairs and others just stared at him open mouthed.  
  
A young looking witch shook his hand vigorously saying: "Harry Potter, its such an honor to meet you. I'm Debbie Blake by the way," Harry shook her hand back and smiled. A countless number of people did much the same as Debbie before a trembling wizard with a turban came up to them.  
  
"Harry, I'm Professor Quirell, I teach Defense Against the Dark Arts at Hogwarts. Not that you'd need it eh P-P-Potter," he seemed to be afraid of something and avoided Harry's outstretched hand.  
  
They battled their way through the back door to a brick wall. Dumbledore tapped them with his wand and it opened up to reveal a bustling street. They looked around in ahh as they stepped through the arch. "So this is Diagon Alley?"  
  
"Yes, now first to Gringots, we've got to get your money."  
  
"Do we need to exchange some money?" Tom asked quickly grabbing at his billfold.  
  
"No, the Potters left Harry some money in his vault and what use is it just sitting there?" They collected their money after a long trip on a rickety cart.  
  
They first went to Madame Malkins where Harry got his robes. Harrison and Tom just stood there commenting on the style and they way it hit his shoulders. Needless to say, Madame Malkin wasn't the least bit happy on being critiqued. They left and went to Olivander's. "Ah, Mr. Potter, I've been waiting for you," the spooky guy in the shop said coming out of the shadows. He tried out a plethora of wands before getting to the last one in the stack. "This is very interesting, contains the same core as You Know Who," Olivander commented more to himself then anyone else. "A Phoenix tail feather from the same bird," he looked pointedly at Dumbledore. Harry picked it up ready for another earthquake or tornado to happen but instead he felt a warm tingling in his fingertips. He swooshed it up and a burst of light came out. Harrison and Tom clapped.  
  
They next went to bookstore and collected his books. Then to the cauldron and potion shop and finally they stopped at the ice-cream shop. There Harry saw a girl sitting with her parents that looked oddly familiar. He kept staring at her trying to remember where he knew her from. She had bushy brown hair and brown eyes.  
  
"Dad, do you know that girl over there?" he asked Tom. He looked and squinted a little bit in concentration. She looks familiar but I don't remember her name or where we know her from." Eventually the girl and her family left and a huge family of red heads came in. There were 5 red headed children and a mother and father.  
  
"Ah the Weasleys," Dumbledore said softly. They sat a table right beside theirs. Harry pushed his chair out to get another soda and bumped someone. He turned around to see a young girl.  
  
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have backed out without looking," Harry said as he bent down to collect the pile of spoons and napkins she was carrying. She helped him and looked up. "Hi, I'm Harry Potter," Harry said when they had righted each other. She blushed all the way to ears.  
  
"I'm Ginny, Ginny Weasley," her eyes didn't flash up to his head as most people had done. A red haired boy came up behind Ginny.  
  
"Hey Gin, who's this?" He looked up at Harry before realization dawned on him. "You're Harry Potter aren't you! You're going to be a first year in September aren't you?"  
  
"Yeah, I came here to get my school supplies."  
  
"I'm Ron Weasley, I guess you've already met my little sister."  
  
"Harry, we have to go now," Tom called. Harry waved at the two Weasleys before following his family. At the Leaky Cauldron Dumbledore bid them farewell.  
  
"I'll be seeing you at Hogwarts in a couple of months," he said before handing Harry a train ticket. "You'll be departing from platform 9 ¾ at 11:00 on September 1st, King's Cross," the old wizard apparated with a jaunty wave. They made their way back to the car and sped off home.  
  
The rest of the summer past quickly. Harrison and Tom had to take Harry off his school list and they busily tied up affairs. Harry basically just lounged around the house the rest of the summer and before he knew it, it was the night before September 1st. He busily packed all his things into his trunk. He looked over at the clock; it was 6:00, almost time for their dinner reservation. He finished by banging the lid down and heading to the living room.  
  
They shared a solemn meal that past slowly. "Do you have all your things packed?" Tom asked over ice cream.  
  
"Yeah, everything's in my trunk except for tomorrow's cloths and a pair of pajamas for tonight."  
  
"Good, we're all set then. Do you have your ticket?"  
  
"It's in my backpack."  
  
"Where in your backpack?"  
  
"The front zipper pouch in my wallet."  
  
"Do you have any money left?"  
  
"Yeah, I've got some normal money and a couple of galleons." They sighed heavily.  
  
"We'll miss you a lot."  
  
"I'll miss you guys too. It'll be weird being there without you guys."  
  
Harry's last thought before he fell asleep that night was of his parents. Not the ones that had birthed him but the ones that had taken care of him his whole life. Were they really his parents? What would it be like being at a place his biological parents had been? He didn't dream that night which was a good thing. And the next morning he was up bright and early (9:00, a record for Harry). Breakfast was ready downstairs and he ate hurriedly. His parents went through a final checklist before they headed for King's Cross. They wondered through the platforms looking for 9 ¾. Luckily he spotted the Weasleys and ran up to them.  
  
"Excuse me," he said to the plump woman who was the mother. "Where's Platform 9 ¾?"  
  
"It's right between 9 and 10. You just head for it and you'll go through it dear, watch Percy go." She kissed a tall boy on the cheek and he ran at the seemingly solid wall. Harry went back to Harrison and Tom. They exchanged hugs and Harry ran at the wall with his trolley.  
  
And that was the beginning of the end... 


	4. Home

Disclaimer- No, I'm not really gonna do one of these again but I just wanted to say: thanks, all those people who reviewed my story! I love ya all! Oh, and Maria Kairay, can you e-mail me? On with the fourth chapter!  
  
Harry was amazed as he walked thru the wall and saw the bustling platform. Parents were hugging their children friends were reuniting, and "lovers" were "getting reacquainted". He felt someone at his shoulder. "It's great isn't it?" Harry turned around and saw Ron Weasley behind him.  
  
"Yeah," Harry breathed.  
  
"Well come on then, do you want to sit with me in the train?" the boy asked.  
  
"Yeah, that would be great, thanks," Harry said and followed Ron onto the train.  
  
"Just a minute, I have to go say goodbye to my mum," Ron blushed and ran off. Harry sat down and looked around. He had been on a train before but none as wonderful as this one. He had even been on a really nice one (two of his parent's friends had had their commitment ceremony on an old train). Ron came back a few minutes later, and the two of them hoisted their trunks up above their seats. They took two seats next to the window. "So, who were those people you said goodbye to in the station?" Ron asked. Harry flinched a little, this would be harder then he had thought.  
  
"Them, oh they were my parents," Harry tried to sound like he didn't care.  
  
"Both of them?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"So they're gay," Ron said.  
  
"Yeah," Harry looked uncomfortably out the window. "Is that, um, weird in the wizarding world?"  
  
"Nah, my uncle's gay. No problem, although it is always queer," Ron joked and Harry laughed gratefully.  
  
"Do you know what Hogwarts is like?"  
  
"My brothers told me a bit about it. They said it's great, at least that's the only thing I can believe."  
  
"How many brothers do you have exactly?"  
  
"5, all older. Bill, he works in Egypt, curse breaker, then Charlie, he works in Romania with Dragons, then Percy, Fred, and George are here. Fred and George are twins; they're in 3rd year now, big pranksters. Percy's a tight-ass, prefect, yuck!"  
  
"How old is your sister?"  
  
"Oh Ginny, she's 10."  
  
"Is she your only sister?"  
  
"Yeah, she's the baby of the family."  
  
"I always wanted siblings," Harry said half to himself and half to Ron.  
  
"Yeah? Well, come to my house and you'll change your mind really quickly! My house is always loud, loud and crowded and until last year when my brother Charlie graduated, I had to share a room with Percy," Ron laughed and made a face. The two of them talked for what seemed like only minutes but in actuality is was more like an hour. It felt good to Harry to finally have found a friend that he himself liked and hadn't been picked by his parents. Ron told Harry about what his brothers had told him about Hogwarts and Harry sat in amazement.  
  
"If half of that is true Hogwarts must be pretty amazing!" Harry said. "You said something about houses, what's that?"  
  
"Well, there are 4 houses, or dormitories. Gryfindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin. I want to be in Gryfindor, my whole family's been in Gryfindor," Ron said matter-o-factly. "The houses were named after the 4 founders: Godric Gryfindor the brave, Rowenna Ravenclaw the brain, Helga Hufflepuff the heart, and Salazar Slytherin the cunning."  
  
"Which house is the worst?"  
  
"Slytherin defiantly! Not a wizard a witch gone bad that didn't come out of Slytherin," their conversation was drawn to a close when the bushy haired girl Harry had seen at the ice cream parlor came in. She took one look at them before speaking.  
  
"Hello, I'm Hermione Granger, have you seen a toad? A boy named Neville has lost one," she asked.  
  
"Nope, haven't seen a toad," Ron answered, blushing.  
  
"Do I know you from somewhere?" Harry asked.  
  
"I don't know, I was wondering the same thing. What's your name?"  
  
"Well, my legal name is Harry Barkler but my parent's last name was Potter."  
  
"Oh, you're Harry Potter then. I read about you in some of the books I've read," she said.  
  
"Yeah, when my, err, parents adopted me they gave me the last name of Barkler."  
  
"Well everybody here will know you as Harry Potter," she said. "You're famous you know."  
  
"I know, believe me, I know. Wait, I know you, did I meet you at the mall or something?"  
  
"Yeah, you were the kid with the good teeth! How old were we? Like six?"  
  
"Five actually, I don't know how I remember you!" Harry exclaimed.  
  
"Muggles," Ron muttered to himself.  
  
"Hi, what's your name?" Hermione asked Ron, blushing as well.  
  
"Ron Weasley," he reached out his hand and they shook.  
  
"You want to sit with us?" Harry asked Hermione.  
  
"I can't, I have to help Neville find his toad. Bye then, see you at the sorting." Hermione turned and left.  
  
"She was nice, where did you meet her again?" Ron remarked mildly.  
  
"We met at an ice cream place in the mall when we were five. I still don't see why I remember her."  
  
"5 minutes to Hogsmeade!" a voice shouted.  
  
"We better get our robes on," Ron said, getting his trunk from the overhead compartment. They boys changed and waited in silence for the train to stop. Prefects opened the doors finally and they all came out.  
  
A great, huge man was calling the first years. "Firs Years! Come 'ere. Come over 'ere firs years!" They went tentatively over to the man. "Ah, another Weasley, your brother told me about you, Ron isn't it," Ron nodded happily. "Where is Charlie by the way?"  
  
"He's in Romania with the Dragons," Ron answered.  
  
"Oh, I do envy 'em," Hagrid got a wistful look in his eyes. Then his gaze turned to Harry and he starred on in astonishment. " 'Arry Potter!"  
  
"It's, err, nice to meet you, sir."  
  
"Please, call me Hagrid. Las' time I sawer you you was just a little baby. Now look at how you've grown!" Hagrid ruffled his hair. "Now come along, get into a boat," he shoved them gently toward a fleet of boats on the lip of a lake. Harry and Ron climbed into one. Hermione and the boy called Neville joined them and they were off. They went out across the lake. Harry jumped when he saw a large tentacle come out from the water.  
  
"Wow! The Giant Squid, I thought my brother's were lying!" Ron exclaimed. Neville seemed to be a bit queasy and Hermione kept a look of indifference on her face.  
  
"I knew that all ready, I read it in Hogwarts, a History," she said mildly. But no one, and I mean no one could keep a look of indifference when they saw the castle itself. Harry heard a little gasp from Hermione when they came insight of it. It's quite indescribable really, though I will try my best. The castle itself sits up on a grassy hill and there's a hallway type thing that leads from the lake to the dungeons. There are countless towers all around Hogwarts and tiny little huts speckled all around. A giant Quidditch pitch stands to one side of the South Tower.  
  
The first years got out of the boats and made their way behind Hagrid up the winding steps to the door. They reach it and find themselves in a stone corridor from which they are lead up another dozen flights of steps before they reach a great hall. There Harry spots McGonagall who gives him a smile before she turns to the rest of the first years. "Now students, you all will be sorted alphabetically. When your name is called you will go out into that hall and sit on the stool that is in the middle, there is a hat there and you will pick it up and put on your head. Being sorted is very important; the house you are sorted into today will be your home for the next 7 years of your life. Anything you do well will award your house points that will be added up at the end of the year, the house with the most points wins a trophy and the end-of-the-year-feast is held in your honor with your house colors decorating the Great Hall, however, any rule- breaking will loose your house points. Now Aimers, Amelia." She called dozens of other students including Hermione who was sorted into Gryfindor. Finally she got to Harry Potter (a name Harry was getting more and more used to). Harry crossed the floor to the stool, not aware of the silence that had fallen on the room.  
  
"Ah, Harry Potter, I've been waiting for you. You've got brains yes, and loyalty, but also a great deal of bravery, oh and yes, a thirst to prove yourself."  
  
Meanwhile Harry was muttering, "Please not Slytherin, please, please, please, not Slytherin!"  
  
"Not Slytherin eh? Are you sure, Slytherin could make you great you know. You would do well in Slytherin."  
  
"No, I'm defiantly, defiantly sure."  
  
"Well, better make it GRYFINDOR!" A great sigh escaped him and he took that hat from his head. A cheer had gone up in the crowd and two redheaded boys that Harry supposed were Ron's brothers were chanting.  
  
"We've got Potter! We've got Potter." Harry walked to a seat that Hermione had drawn up for him and sat down quickly. Later on Ron was called. As soon as the hat hit his flaming head it yelled GRYFINDOR! The Weasleys all cheered and Ron sat next to Harry, grinning. Many other people had been sorted, even the nervous looking boy with the toad had been sorted into Gryfindor.  
  
Harry just sat back, sighed and couldn't help but think, it's really good to be here..home. 


	5. Letters

Dear Dad and Papa,  
I met up with Ron and Hermione on the train. I finally remember why that girl (Hermione) in the ice cream parlor looked so familiar. I had met her before, in an ice cream parlor oddly enough. It was when I was five and we'd just gone shopping. I said hello to her, her parents made a nice remark about my teeth. Is any of this ringing a bell? Anyway, I just thought it was one of those "it's a small world" type of moments. I miss you both a lot though Hogwarts is great! I just finished classes for the day and they were all very interesting. I especially liked Defense Against the Dark Arts, the professors a bit off though. I got into the best house (according to Ron). It was the house (dormitory) that both of my biological parents were in. Anyway, I'll take care of myself and I miss you both a ton!  
Your loving son,  
Harry  
  
Harry finished the letter and set his quill down. Did he miss home? The thought scared him a little bit. His parents were the nicest people in the universe but did he really miss them? Somehow, being here was like being in a whole different world, totally departed from the one in which he'd lived for so long. He dismissed the thought and folded the letter solemnly, he didn't have time to think of that right now. He and Ron walked up to the owlry and mailed the letter along with one from Ron to his parents.  
  
Harrison and Tom received the letter the next morning and opened it eagerly. "It sounds like he's having fun," Tom said tearfully.  
  
"Yeah, we knew we were going to have to let go one of these days," Harrison rubbed Tom's back apologetically.  
  
"I know but I never imagined it would be this soon! I mean, one minute I'm holding him in my arms for the very first time and the next, he's writing letters from school."  
  
"He said he missed us, that's something."  
  
"Harrison, honestly, a mother knows!"  
  
"You're not a mother Tom."  
  
"It doesn't matter, I can completely read through this sarcasm. He doesn't love us anymore and he's never coming back."  
  
"That's not true, Harry will be coming back at Christmas. I think that you're just a little bit melodramatic right now."  
  
"Harrison, I want to adopt another child. I need another baby."  
  
"Fine, I think that's a great idea. Let's write Harry and see what he thinks about it."  
  
Dear Harry,  
We're your parents, if you remember us (don't listen Harry, Papa's just a little crazy right now). Anyway, we're glad you're having a nice time at school and miss you a bundle. In fact, we miss you so much that we need to adopt another child (we're just thinking about it, nothing's final). Write us back and tell us what you think.  
Your loving parents,  
Papa and Daddy  
  
Harry reread the letter a bunch of times. He was going to have a sibling? That was stellar, he wished he'd gone off to school before this. He'd always wanted a sibling. He showed the letter to Ron.  
  
"Your Papa is a little crazy," was all he said.  
  
"Yeah, but what do you think, you know, about the sibling thing?"  
  
"I think you're bloody mad for wanting one."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Because, I have 6 siblings and it's a load of bullocks. They're loud, your parents blame you for the stuff they do, the list just goes on and on and on."  
  
"Yeah well I'm not going to have 6 am I? No, they're just talking about 1."  
  
"Let me tell you a little story Harry. There was once this couple, Molly and Arthur. They had just gotten married. Arthur had a job in the Ministry, Molly worked as an Auror, they wanted 2 children, a boy, William, and a girl, Virginia. They would call them Bill and Ginny. Molly planned to stay home until Bill was 3, go back to work for 2 years then have Ginny and stay home till she was 5. It started well, they had Bill but a year later they had Charlie, then 2 years later, Percy and 2 years after that, Fred and George, and low and behold, 3 years later, Ron came along and a year after Ron, finally, the Ginny they'd all been waiting for." Ron finished with a dejected look on his face. "They just keep on going and going and going till the house is full, the money's not and my mum's wits are nonexistent."  
  
"I don't think that that will happen. After all, my parents can't just have a baby, they have to go through this really long process."  
  
"Fine Harry but when you're at your wits end with 5 little buggers clawing on your arm don't say I didn't warn you." Harry laughed and started the letter. It had been 3 days since the letter he sent home. Apparently the owl got a little lost on its way back.  
  
Dear Dad and Papa,  
I think it's a stellar idea! I've always wanted a brother or sister (my preference is a girl). My friend Ron, however, says it's a bad idea. He has 6 siblings, 5 brothers and a sister. He says you won't be able to stop once you get started. When will you be able to get the kid? Do you think I'd be able to see it by Christmas? Write back soon. Thing's are going great here. We've been hanging around with Hermione sometimes but Ron's getting a little annoyed. Anyway, bye bye!  
  
Love,  
Harry  
  
"Harry thinks it's a great idea," Harrison said to Tom who was busy making breakfast. "He says he's partial to a girl though."  
  
"So am I."  
  
"I just think that we had so much luck with a boy. We don't know anything about girls!"  
  
"Come on Harrison, we'll do fine. I want a little girl. We have a boy and he wants a sister so let's hold out for a girl."  
  
"I think we should just try to get a kid without caring if it's a boy or a girl."  
  
"Fine Harrison, whatever."  
  
"He wants to know if he could see the baby by Christmas. What should I tell him?"  
  
"Tell him we don't know but we'll try," Tom answered, going back to his cooking.  
  
Dear Harry,  
I'm glad you're happy about the idea. I'd like to meet your friend. Anyway, Tom agrees with you and wants a girl as well. I think we should just wait and see. Well, we'll try to get the child before Christmas but nothing's certain. Please take care of yourself and apply yourself to your studies. Write back quickly and tell us more about everything!  
Love,  
Your Parents  
  
Harry unfolded the letter at breakfast the next morning and Ron read over his shoulder. "You honestly want a sister?"  
  
"Yeah, I think it would be cool. You think a brother would be better?"  
  
"At least they're not moody. Well, it looks like you're already in deep."  
  
"Dad says he'd like to meet you."  
  
"Oh really, well I hope you haven't been lying about me. I wouldn't want them to get their hopes up."  
  
"Nope, just the truth. It's probably beating them up that they didn't meet you before I did. That's the way they are usually, they pick out everything-cloths, friends, books." Harry waited till that night to write another letter.  
  
Dear Dad and Papa,  
It's been another eventful day. My favorite class is still Defense but I really like Quidditch too. It's a wizarding sport and it's played on brooms! They've excepted me onto the house team. I'm the youngest player in a century! My biological father played on the house team too in his day. I'm the seeker. You see, there are four balls in Quidditch- the quaffed, two bludgers, and the snitch. The job of the seeker is to catch the snitch which is a tiny little ball with wings that flies around. There is a seeker on both team and the first one to catch it, in essence, wins the game. The bludgers are these big cannon like balls that try to unseat as many of the players as they can. There are two beaters on each team as well that use big clubs to hit the bludgers away from their team. Fred and George Weasley, Ron's brothers, are our beaters. The quaffle is kind of like a football and the three chasers on each team try to shoot the quaffle into the other teams hoop (there are three). The other player is the Keeper and he tries to hit the quaffle away from their hoop. Our Keeper is Oliver Wood who's also the captain. Professor Dumbledore said I'll have to get a decent broom. Professor McGonagall says she'll take care of it. Anyway, goodbye and good luck finding a sibling!  
  
Love,  
Harry  
  
"He's gotten himself on some sports team!" Tom exclaimed, pouring over the letter. "Says he's the youngest player in century Harrison. Says his biological father." Tom faded off.  
  
"Tom, he doesn't mean anything by it."  
  
"That's garbage Harrison. He's immersed in these two people he has never known. I knew this was going to come up but not like this. He wishes that they were alive and that we weren't."  
  
"Tom, we've been Harry's family for a very long time. He wouldn't dismiss us just like that."  
  
"Yes he would, just read it." Tom thrust the letter under Harrison's nose.  
  
"He only says that his biological father was also on the team. That doesn't mean anything Tom." Tom sighed.  
  
"We're loosing him Harrison, we're loosing our little baby to his dead parents."  
  
A/N- I know it's been a really long time since I updated but I hope you enjoyed this installment. 


	6. Christmas Wishes

"HARRY!" Harry turned his from Ron and Hermione. He caught sight of Harrison. He looked the same, the same clean-shaven face, the same sunglasses sitting atop his head. Harry grinned and walked over to his father.

"Hey Dad, where's Papa?" Harry asked, giving Harrison a warm hug.

"That's a surprise but we've got to hurry up." He tried to pull Harry toward the doors onto the London sidewalk.

"Wait! You have to meet Ron and Hermione," he pulled the man over to the younger students. "Ron, Hermione, this is Harrison, my Dad."

"It's a pleasure to meet you Mr. um," Hermione stumbled, looking slightly embarrassed.

"That's fine, people never know. It's Tyler but please call me Harrison. So you're Hermione? I've heard so much about you!" he shook the girl's hand. She needed a definite hair job but looked altogether as pleasant as she had sounded in Harry's letters. He turned to Ron. "It's good to meet you t-" but he was cut off by a short, plump woman who looked to be Ron's mother.

"Ronny dear!" she exclaimed. "I've missed you so much!" she grinned and hugged the boy who was already taller that she. "Oh, hello, you must be Harry's father," she shook his hand. "Or well, I guess you're just his adoptive-"

"No, Mrs. Weasley, he's my Dad. Papa's back home." Harry said so politely but with a definite solidity to his voice. Harrison smiled.

"It's a pleasure to meet you Mrs. Weasley. I'm Harrison Tyler. Papa, or Tom Barkley is at home with Harry's early Christmas present."

"Sorry, it's so good to finally meet you Harry!" Mrs. Weasley hugged him before Harrison drug him from the train station. Harry climbed into the car after putting all his stuff in the back of the car.

"It's good to see you again," Harry said, leaning his head on the back of the seat. "I missed you all so much!"

"We missed you too, a lot a lot." Harrison ran his hands through Harry's dark hair. "You look older, Papa's going to be surprised."

"What's my surprise?" Harry asked, looking at Harrison's grinning face.

"If I told you it wouldn't be a surprise now would it?"

"I guess not." The rest of the ride was relatively quiet. They finally pulled up in front of the Home Harry had known his whole life. He sincerely doubted if living with his biological parents could have been any better. It was good to be back. Harry and Harrison lugged Harry's trunk and owl up the steps and left them in the front entrance.

"Tom! We're home." Tom came rushing into the room carrying a little, pink bundle. Harry's mouth dropped open before rushing to Tom's side. Tom, who gave Harry a sideways hug and kiss on the cheek said:

"Harry, meet your new baby sister, Abyan Blythe." Harry took the little girl in his arms and looked at her adoringly. She was perfect with a spray of curly, brown hair atop her head. She blinked open her eyes to reveal huge, brown orbs. Harry felt his heart melt in his chest and he let out a very audible "Ahh."

"She's perfect," he breathed. "The best Christmas surprise ever."

"I'm glad to have met your approval Harry honey," Harrison grinned. "She is perfect, just perfect. She knows her big brother too." Harry grinned from ear to ear. He was a big brother! He had a baby sister who he would protect and who, in turn, would adore and idolize him.

"Abyan Blythe, it's a nice name," Harry added, rocking her from side to side.

"Yeah, it took a whole week to find a suitable one," Tom nodded. "Now come in and sit down, I want to hear everything!" Harry grinned and allowed himself to be lead into the living room. It was decorated with red bows, evergreen garlands, candles, everything Harry remembered from every Christmas he could remember. A cavernous Christmas Tree stood in the corner. It was undecorated, obviously they had waited for him.

"When are we going to be decorating the tree?" Harry asked, handing Abyan gently over to Harrison.

"We could do it tonight if you want," Tom answered, sitting down next to Harry.

"So, did you miss me?" Harry asked with a grin.

"My goodness, you have no idea how much!" Tom exclaimed, planting a kiss on his son's cheek. "We missed you so much that we had to get someone to occupy my time."

"Oh, so Abyan's my replacement?" Harry asked with a smirk.

"No," Harrison hastened before he realized Harry was joking. "No, Abyan's not your replacement. No one could replace our little Harry," he pinched Harry's cheek.

"Now, enough chit chat, I want to know everything!" Tom said excitedly.

"Well, I told you about Ron and Hermione right?"

"Yeah."

"Anyway, I think they like each other. Well, I assume so because they try to act like they hate each other so much. I'm doing alright in all of my classes. If it weren't for DADA- that's Defense Against the Dark Arts, I'd like Charms the best. Charms is taught by a short, little midget named Professor Flitwick. He has to stand on top of a stack of books so we can see him. Professor McGonagall teaches Transfiguration and that's a cool class. She turned a desk into a pig! She's really strict though. Potions is my least favorite class because Professor Snape pretty much hates everyone except the stinking Slytherins. It's interesting and all but the guy seems to have some grudge against me. He keeps mentioning my biological dad. Apparently they had some problems there. Now Quidditch, that's the best sport of ALL time. You play up on broomsticks and I'm the youngest player in a whole century!" Harry stopped to catch his breath.

"My goodness Harry, it sounds like you've had a very eventful term," Harrison grinned. "I think Tabatha's even listening." Harry grinned and continued.

"Well, where was I? Oh yeah, Quidditch. I won my first match! I almost fell off my broomstick, well I did," he paused for gasp. "I actually caught the thing in my mouth! My broom was going crazy, yanking every which way. Hermione said it was Snape so she caught his robes on fire and broke the spell. I've got the best broom on the market. McGonagall got it. It's a Nimbus 2000 Racing Broom. I brought it home, do you want to see it?" Tom and Harrison nodded and Harry ran to retrieve it. He came back with the broom sitting delicately in his hands.

"It looks like a broom," was all Tom could think of. Harry's face split into a look of disgust.

"It's not any ordinary broom. Here, I'll show you." Harry lay the broom on the ground beside him and said: "Up!" the broom popped into his hand and Abyan started laughing. Harrison and Tom applauded. Harry blushed.

"She likes that, don't you Abby?" Harrison cooed.

"I hope she's a witch too," Harry breathed, rubbing her finger softly.

"Maybe she is. I mean, we got lucky twice."

"Dad," Harry said suddenly quiet.

"Yes Harry?" Harrison asked.

"Everybody keeps talking about me at school."

"What are they saying?" Tom asked.

"Well, they keep calling me the "Boy Who Lived" and stuff. I mean, I know why they do it but it's still weird." His voice faded. Tom tried to stifle a sigh of relief. Thank God it was that and not the other thing.

"Well, it's a good thing right?" Harrison asked.

"Yeah but, well.....anyway, how have you two been? You must have done something other than adopt Abby in my absence." Tom's face split into a grin, happy to be off such a touchy subject.

"Things have been going splendidly. We've worked, gone to a couple plays. It was just so hard finding things to do without you to occupy our time!" Harrison exclaimed. Harry grinned, it was good to be home.

The afternoon quickly faded into a quiet, peaceful evening. Snow fell softly from the sky creating a Christmas Card-like image through the picture window in the living room. The small family ordered Chinese take-out (a favorite of Harry's and Tom's) and ate in the living room (only done on special occasions). After the chopsticks and empty boxes were discarded mugs of hot chocolate and a plate of cookies were brought in as replacements. A cheesy Christmas CD played mellifluously in the background as the tree began to take on ornamentation.

"Harry, do you remember this one?" Tom asked, holding up a small, clear bulb with gold and silver pipe-cleaners twisted up inside like snakes. Harry's face split into a grin, he nodded.

"Yeah, made that in primary school for our Christmas art project. You all crooned over it like it was a Monet."

"It is wonderful!" Harrison retorted. "I love that ornament." Harry rolled his eyes. Each bulb and star was handled with the utmost care. Fingers gingerly lifted the treasures from the box and they were each given a proper branch. White lights were strung around the tree, glowing like tiny stars, refracting light off the glass bulbs. Each had a memory and were likewise mulled over.

Sometimes Harrison, Tom, or Harry would guide Abyan's hand to hang an ornament on a branch and it was she who was given the task of placing the angel on the top. It was a tradition if you could call it that. Harry had been given the task at his first Christmas with Harrison and Tom.

"I love Christmas," Tom murmured as he reclined on the couch after the tree was done. They had switched on a movie and had cookies and hot cocoa to occupy them. Abby lay sleeping in her basinet in the corner and Harrison stood over her.

"Me too," Harry sighed, snuggling up to his Papa. To him, it didn't seem odd or un-manly. It was what he had always done and it didn't occur to him to do anything differently. Tom tightened his arm around Harry's shoulder and planted a kiss on top of his head. "It's nice to be home."

"It's nice to have you home," Tom answered. "We've missed you so terribly over the past couple of months." Harry smiled contently.

Harry soon fell asleep before "Every time a bell rings and angel gets his wings." The beautiful picture faded with an exhausted eleven-year-old sleeping on a couch, two men in their perfectly manicured bedroom, and an infant girl slumbering sweetly in her crib.

Five Years Later

"Daddy!, hurry up, we're going to miss Harry!" Abyan coaxed her father foreword as they were leaving their house.

"Abby honey, we're not going to miss Harry," Tom reassured her as Harrison looked to be at the end of his chain. "Come on, let's go wait in the car for Daddy to be ready." Abyan Blythe Barkler had grown into an absolutely perfect little girl. Her brown curls had grown till they fell down to her waist. She was thin and vivacious with huge, brown eyes. That day, she had picked out her red dress and yellow sweater especially. They were Harry's house colors, Gryfindor colors. Her hair was pinned back with two, lion barrettes that she had received for her birthday from Harry.

Grabbing hold of Tom's hand they piled into the car and waited for Harrison to come out. "Do you think Harry's excited to see me Papa?" Abyan asked. Her cheeks were bright red and her eyes were practically glowing with anticipation.

"Of course, Harry's always excited to see his little sister!"

"I'm not little," she retorted and Tom nodded apologetically.

On the train

"We'll be there in about twenty minutes," Hermione informed the group of three. Harry nodded. It was strange heading home after all the things that were happening. He knew he should be going to Sirius's but he couldn't bring himself to tell his parents or Abby. As well informed as they were, neither Tom nor Harrison grasped the full weight of the battle. Harry alone bore the burden of Lord Voldemort. It had been strange the summer before after Voldemort had risen. In fact, it had been uncomfortable and foreign ever since his first Christmas home from school.

"Are you nervous Harry?" Ron asked, peering over his comic book. Harry nodded, it was no use lying to his friends. "Are you going to come to Sirius's? We're staying there because of Dad."

"I don't know, have you heard anything about him?" Ron shook his head.

"Mum wrote and said Bill would come and pick us up from the train station."

"Tell Sirius hello and that I'll try to come. My parents, they're a little weird about this sort of thing, especially Papa." Hermione and Ron nodded their heads solemnly.

A/N- Hope you enjoyed it, hope to put up another chappie soon.


	7. Too Hard

"Daddy, when are they coming?" Abyan asked, peering at Platform 9 3/14 intently from Harrison's shoulders.

"Soon honey, they have to let them out gradually to not make a scene."

"I wish he was here now; we've waited so long to see him!"

"I know," Tom answered. They were silent for a while. Tom and Harrison were brought out of their revere by a squeal from Abyan.

"He's here!" she exclaimed, scrambling over Harrison's head and leaping deftly to the floor.

"Be careful!" Harrison cried but Abyan was already half way to an unbenowned Harry. She threw her arms around his knees before he even noticed she was there.

"Harry!" she said, hugging him tightly.

"Abby!" he smiled, picking her up and giving her a proper hug.

"I've missed you so, so, so, so, so, so, so much," she cried, punctuating each "so" with a slobbery kiss on the cheek. Harry wiped her spit from his face but the grin never left his lips. Hermione and Ron came up behind him. Harry turned around and Abby squealed again. "Hermione! Ron!"

"Hey Abby," Hermione smiled. "I like your dress."

"Thanks, I picked out Gryfindor colors especially for today. I said it right right?" she asked Harry with such sincerity that his heart burst.

"Yep, you said it perfectly."

"Come here Abby," Ron opened his arms wide for a hug and Abyan leapt from Harry's arms to Ron's.

"I heard you got on the Quirditch team."

"Yeah, I'm Chaser for Gryfindor," Ron answered, blushing.

"Well, I bet you're the best chaser that's ever lived!" Abby whispered in his ear, causing him to blush even more. By this time Harrison and Tom had caught up with Abyan.

"Harry!" Harrison exclaimed, catching Harry in a bone crushing hug. "It's so good to see you. There's been a scarcity of letters lately." Harry blushed, how could he explain? Luckily he was saved coming up with an explanation by Tom who mirrored Harrison with an even stronger hug.

"Hello Hermione, Ron. Where are your parents?" With a worried sideways look Hermione smiled.

"My parents are right over there," she pointed at Dr. and Dr. Granger coming toward her.

"Uh, my Dad got in a bit of an accident and Mum's at the hospital with him. My brother Bill will be by in a minute to pick up me and Ginny. Have you ever met my sister?" As if on que, Ginny walked over with a taught expression.

"Where's Bill Ron?"

"He should be here any minute. Have you met Harry's parents?" Ginny shook her head, looking at Harrison and Tom.

"It's a pleasure to meet you Mr. and err, Mr. Um-"

"Please, call me Tom," Tom shook her hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you Ginny."

"I'm Harrison, nice to meet you." Ginny tried her best not to look stressed out but it didn't really work. Ever since the night Harry saw the vision and all of the Weasleys along with Hermione had spent the night at Sirius's Ginny had been ashen. It had nearly killed when Dumbledore sent them all back to school. It'd nearly killed Sirius too for that matter.

"What happened to your Dad?"

"Snake bite, he's at hospital," Ron answered, hoping his answer to be sufficient.

"I'm sorry, I hope he's okay."

"He'll be fine." Ron hastened. Harry had explained the extent of their knowledge. He'd told them everything up to Sirius. They knew about the Chamber of Secrets and the Sorcerer's Stone. After that, though, the explanations had run out. Things had grown more complicated then just good against evil. They didn't know about Voldemort's rebirth or Sirius and Remus. They didn't know about Peter's betrayal or anything past Voldemort killing the Potters and leaving poor Harry.

"There's Bill," Ron sighed in relief. He walked over and reached Bill with Abyan still in his arms. It was only when Bill pointed this out that Ron noticed.

"Uh, Ron, last time I checked, I only had one sister and no nieces."

"Oh! Sorry Abby," Ron exclaimed.

"It's okay Ron! Hi, I'm Abyan Barkler, who are you?" Abyan asked, extending her hand to Bill.

"I'm Bill Weasley, Ron's oldest brother. Who do you belong to?"

"I'm Harry's sister." Bill smiled and nodded.

"Where are Fred and George?" Bill asked.

"They should be here in a minute," Ginny answered. "See, they're coming now." Fred and George clambered up to Bill with their trunks in hand.

"Oh hey Abby," they smiled, pulling a few sweets from their pockets. "Why don't you take these and go back to Harry. Maybe we'll see you sometime before we go back." Abby grinned and took the sweets.

"Happy Christmas!" she yelled, waving over her back at the grim group of Weasleys. They smiled and waved in response. She walked back to Harry and climbed onto his trunk. He and Hermione were having a discussion in low voices while Daddy and Papa were chatting it up with Dr. and Dr. Granger.

"Hermione, I'm worried. I have no idea how to tell my parents let alone Abby. I'm afraid they're going to be hurt either way. Papa won't be able to handle Sirius and that's without the rest of it. I don't want to bring them into this but if they're going to be in danger then I feel obligated."

"I know," Hermione brushed Harry's arm sympathetically (in a strictly friend-friend way). "But really, what are you going to do about Sirius? He'll be heart broken if you don't come for at least one day. I don't think he understands that you really do have live parents."

"I know! I don't know what to do and, for the first time, I can't ask my parents for help. This is so confusing. I feel guilty about Cedric and they don't even know! I'm also afraid that if they find out about all this stuff they're going to pull me out of Hogwarts. They don't get the vast scale of it all."

"Harry, come on, let's go. I'll get your trunk, you get Abby," Tom called finally. Hermione squeezed Harry's hand. Harry turned and grabbed Abby off the trunk. He smiled at her.

"How was your autumn?"

"Good," Abyan responded softly. What did Harry mean? Who was serious and about what? Why couldn't he tell any of them? Against what did they have to be protected?

Harry hugged Abyan closer to his body as they stepped into the cool, winter air outside the train station. The streets were thick with people carrying bags and packages. Black taxies sped around like ants and big, red, double-decker busses maneuvered their way through the car-choked streets. Over the past three years everything had become so confusing.

On the car ride home Harry and Abyan were silent. This was not lost on their parents who tried gamely to lighten the mood and failed miserably. "We've left the tree for decorating and I was thinking we could go out to dinner tonight, how does that sound Harry?"

"Good," Harry answered, trying his best to smile. He was worried about Sirius and Mr. Weasley.

"Abby, why don't you tell Harry about your Christmas performance on Christmas Eve?"

"I'll tell him later."

"I'd like to hear all about it," Harry smiled at Abby.

"Later," she answered definitively. They again fell silent and remained that way till they pulled up in front of the house.

"Harry, why don't you hurry up and change. Just something a little more dressy then that," Tom requested, sending Harry up the stairs to his room. It had changed a lot over the years. He had abandoned the Spider Man wallpaper in favor of simple, red paint. His race car bed had been long since forsaken replaced by a double, wrought iron, sleigh bed that had been bought without his knowledge. He had Chudley Cannons posters up all over his wall and a closet full of cloths he would never wear. A full length mirror stood opposite the closet and was also very seldom used.

"What's wrong with what I've got on?" Harry wondered aloud. He was dressed in jeans and a long-sleeved T-shirt that he thought perfectly fine but when Papa said change, changing was the only option. He fingered through his closet till he found a pair of kakis and a green sweater. He pulled on both and changed his tennis to brown, dress shoes. After raking a distracted hand through his hair, he left the room with his trunk on the floor. He got half way down the stairs before remembering his wand. It wouldn't do to be anywhere now without it, especially now.

"Are you almost ready Harry?" Harrison called up the stairs.

"Yeah, I'll be down in a minute," Harry replied with a holler. He grabbed his wand out of his jeans pocket and slipped it up the sleeve of his sweater. He then bounded down the stairs to his awaiting family. They were all in winter coats and gloves including Abby who was wearing a purple dress coat with matching gloves and hat.

"Now that looks much better," Tom praised. "Here's your hat and gloves. We have to hurry or they'll give away our table." Harry pulled on the corduroy coat and wool gloves before following his parents and sister out the door. They piled into the car and were off in a flash.

"Where are we going?" Harry asked

"Floriana, you'll like it. It's Italian and there's live music and everything." Tom answered.

"Do I like Italian food Papa?" Abby asked curiously. She seemed to have forgotten the conversation she overheard.

"Yes dear."

"Harry, do you think I'm a witch?"

"I don't know, have you ever done any magic?" Abyan shrugged. It was another quiet ride to the restaurant which looked quite ritzy. They were lead inside and seated.

"So Harry, how was your semester?" Harrison asked, looking over the menu casually. Harry had to think hard. How had his semester been? Stressful would be a word to describe it. Yes, stressful, he'd just have to lie about the reason for the stress.

"It was stressful," he answered, not making eye contact.

"Why, was the school work hard?" Tom asked.

"Yeah, it was really hard. OWLs are coming up this year. They're big and they determine the classes you'll be able to take 6th and 7th years."

"Oh, sounds bad. I hope they're not working you too hard." Harry ordered oysters on a bed of angel hair pasta drizzled with a white whine sauce. Abyan ordered ravioli . Harrison and Tom split a plate of spaghetti. It was a quiet affair for the most part, that is till Tom decided to open his mouth a bit further.

"So how exactly did Ron's father get bitten by a snake. It seemed a bit more serious then they made it out to be. Was it like the basilisk in your second year?" Harry answered before thinking.

"No, it wasn't a basilisk at all."

"What was it then?" Harrison asked, his eyebrows raised. Harry mentally punched himself.

"It's kind of hard to explain." Harry answered, his eyes downcast.

"Try us," Tom replied with a slight edge to his voice. He'd always been able to tell when Harry was hiding something.

"I'd rather not go into the details. It's just too complicated to explain to somebody on the outside," the words flowed from his mouth before he had time to reel them back in. He immediately regretted saying "outsiders" though that's exactly what they were, rather over informed outsiders.

"Well maybe we wouldn't be "outsiders" if you'd fill us in a bit more," Tom countered, looking emotional.

"Look, I'm sorry but this is just too big to explain okay. Everything's just gotten so huge and I don't want you to worry or perhaps be endangered, especially Abby." Abyan came in before either of her fathers.

"Who is serious?" of course she didn't know that "serious" was a name. She assumed somebody meant something _seriously_ but it had done it's damage. All eyes turned to Harry who's face was growing red. Not being able to answer Harry left the table and the restaurant. He needed to think.

A/N- I think I'm cranking these chappies out compared to my previous lack of updating, what do you think? Anyway, things are quickly changing from comedy to drama. I wanted to really analyze what would go on (getting a bit to serious?). Anyway I hope you enjoyed and I'd love you to review!


	8. Crying Jag

The ride home was, in a word, uncomfortable. They had decided to leave before a full-out war broke loose between Harry and Tom. The two were sitting as far away from each other as possible. Tom was hurt because Harry wouldn't talk; Harry was hurt because he couldn't talk. The Christmas spirit had been roughly cast from the family and they were in turmoil.

They pulled up to the house, empty bellied and empty hearted. Harry jumped out of the car before it stopped moving and ran up to the door. Upon finding it locked, he gave the door a quick kick and drove his hand under the door mat, rooting around for the spare key. Harrison, Tom, and Abyan could have easily made it to the door before Harry could let himself in but they decided that distance was necessary.

Harry sprinted up the stairs and into his bedroom. Everything was crumbling around him. He couldn't tell them, he just couldn't. It would only be to benefit himself and in the process, it would endanger them. He threw himself onto the bed and bit his lip to keep himself from crying. For years it had almost been a relief to not let anything slip. Home was a haven where he didn't have to think about Voldemort and, hard as it may have been, it was a relief. Now he couldn't. He'd have to keep the secret without getting the benefits.

Before he knew it, tears were spilling down his cheeks. He wanted Sirius with every fiber of his being. Never before had he felt parentless but now it came to him. It took over him in the form of a deep ache that originated in the pit of his stomach and spread through his entire body. He had to talk to Sirius and he had to do it soon. He ran to his closet and pulled out the seldom-used duffle bag at the far corner. In a furry of emotion he shoved cloths and shoes into the bag. Still passionately unaware of what he was doing, he ran through the door of his room and down the stairs. He crashed through the front door and into the cold, December air.

Harry sprinted to the next street and thrust his wand hand out, hoping that Ron hadn't been pulling his leg about the "Knight Bus". In a flash, a bright purple bus appeared. "Where to?" an acne ridden boy asked, his voice cracking.

"Um," Harry fumbled for the words before blurting out the town where Grimmauld Place was (does anyone know where it is exactly?). The boy nodded and helped Harry with his duffle.

"You got money?" the boy asked. Harry nodded, hoping he'd remembered to grab some. He had a galleon at the bottom of his coat pocket luckily and handed it over. He received the change, relieved. He made his way to the back and sat on a bed. The Knight Bus was strange, lined with cots which were inhabited by even stranger looking people. Most of them slept while a few stared off into space or intently at books.

The full magnitude of his actions and circumstances flooded over him in a fresh wave of nausea. He cradled his head in his hands. "What have I done?" he muttered quietly.

"Eh?" the wizened, old man next to him asked.

"Nothing," Harry muttered distractedly. He just wanted to find Sirius. He hoped that would not prove to be too difficult. He needed to talk to someone who understood or, at least, almost understood. The sad truth was that Tom and Harrison just didn't understand anymore. Abyan was too young to know anything and it was for her that especially wanted to shield his family.

The bus rolled on or, rather, bumped, dodged, and lurched along. It stopped and let off passengers till Harry was one of the last few people left. "Next stop (town to be inserted)." Harry's ears perked up. He collected his things, which wasn't very hard since he hadn't unpacked anything, and stood up. He walked carefully to the front to wait.

"You best sit down or you'll wind up unconscious," the acne-ridden boy wheezed. Harry nodded and sat down on the floor. He was lucky to follow the boys advice for not a minute later the bus made a particularly violent pitch foreword. "Your stop sir." Harry nodded again.

He pulled himself gingerly to his feet. "Need help with your bag?" the boy asked. Harry shook his head mutely and shouldered said bag. He got off the bus and gave a curt wave to the driver, waiting on the curb till it disappeared. He then turned, what house would it be? He reached into the recesses of his brain. Dumbledore had told him the address in case he ever needed to come, now all Harry had to do was remember it. He knew full-well the charms that were cast on the house. If he couldn't remember it then he could do one of two things: he could either catch a taxi home or he could wait till someone came out. The previous one was out of the question and the latter wasn't the best looking alternative either.

"Think Harry, think," he muttered to himself, sitting down on the curb. "Grimmauld Place but what Grimmauld Place?" he muttered. "One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, no. Eight, nine, ten, eleven, twelve, wait. "Number twelve Grimmauld Place, that's it!" He practically jumped up from the curb and jogged down the street, muttering his mantra of "Number twelve Grimmauld Place." The fronts of the other houses were dull and uninviting but Harry had very little time to think about his surroundings. It was cold outside, and though Harry's adrenaline was still coursing through his veins, the chill in the air was getting to him.

Finally a house appeared. It was just as battered as the others but the only thing Harry cared about was the twelve on the door post. He sprinted up the steps and thrust his shoulder against the door, tapping his wand against it at the same time. He fell onto the floor with a clatter and immediately heard the screeches of an old woman. Maybe he had the wrong address. Then he heard hushed voices. One was hoarse and ill-used, Sirius's voice. "What was that Remus? Could someone have gotten in?"

"Sirius! What was that," came Mrs. Weasley's voice from another area of the house.

"Don't know Molly, we're going to go look. Make sure the others don't come down," came Remus's voice. There was a grunt of affirmation and the padding of footsteps on the hall above Harry's head. "Make sure to be careful Sirius," Remus whispered, their footsteps sounding quiet audibly on the stairs. Harry stood up and brushed himself off. He hoped he wouldn't be causing them much of a fright.

It seemed like an eternity before Harry heard their feat hit the landing. He braced himself, trying desperately not to cry. Their faces came into view a moment later and Harry had to try hard not to run to Sirius. "Harry!" Remus exclaimed, the two of them rushing to Harry's side. "What are you doing here? How'd you get all the way to-to-?"

"I-I took the Knight Bus," Harry stammered.

"Why?" Sirius asked, his eyebrows up. "Family problems?" Harry nodded. "Ah, thought that would happen. Let's go somewhere else an-"

"Sirius! Remus!" Mrs. Weasley's voice called hoarsely from the banister. "Who's there?"

"It's nothing Molly, just a clatter from outside," Remus answered, looking pointedly at Harry. Harry grinned in relief, he didn't think he could've handled Mrs. Weasley. Remus lead the trio into the adjoining drawing room. Harry sat down with a thud on a puffy sofa.

"You look cold," Sirius stated, sitting next to him. "Here, let's start a fire," he aimed his wand at the fireplace and an immediate blaze popped up.

"Thanks," Harry muttered.

"So, what's this all about?" Remus asked finally, after a couple seconds of tense silence.

"I had a fight with Papa, um, Tom," he gazed fixedly at the rug, not wanting to meet their eyes.

"What about?" Sirius asked. It was weird for him to think of Harry calling someone other than James "Papa".

"They don't get it! I can't tell them anything and it's all getting so complicated!"

"Why can't you tell them anything?" Sirius asked as if not telling them was the most ludicrous thing in the world. Harry gave him an annoyed look before explaining.

"Look, I can't endanger them. This isn't their fault, they didn't know it would be like this when they adopted me and Abby's another thing. She's so young and I can't even imagine putting her in any danger. Plus, they just wouldn't understand. That's why I came here. I need some time to think."

"That's fine Harry, we're happy to have you but-" Remus paused. "Do Harrison and Tom know where you are?" Harry shook his head slowly. He hadn't really been thinking of anything. They probably had the whole police force looking for him. "Well, it's about one o'clock now," Remus looked down at his watch. "You probably left about around eight?" Harry nodded though he had no idea. "Well, you should probably floo them. They're connected right?" Harry nodded again.

Sirius pulled a small bag from the folds of his robes and handed it to Harry. He seemed a little less then pleased but tried to hide it for Harry's sake. Harry tossed the floo powder in and stated his address firmly. He stuck his head in and his living room swirled into focus. Tom and Harrison were sitting on the couch with cups of coffee in their hands. They were discussing something in low voices.

"I wonder what's wrong with him," Harrison said softly. His hair was untidy and he had bags under his eyes. Tom looked, if anything, worse. Just as Harry was about to pull out Tom looked up.

"Harry!" he exclaimed, rushing to the hearth. "Where in the HELL have you been? We've been worried sick. You just stormed out," he was cut short by Harrison who joined him.

"Where are you now Harry?" he was using his stay-calm voice but it wasn't fooling Harry.

"Listen, both of you. I'm, well, I'm here. I'm not going to tell you anymore. I need time to think and I can't do it at home. Please don't worry, I'm fine. The Weasleys are here and Hermione, Professor Lupin too. I'll be home probably before I go back to school but I'm not making any promises. Tell Abby I love her and that I'm sorry. Bye."

"Wait a minute!" Tom said, his voice raised. "Where are you Harry? You may be fifteen but we're still your parents."

"I can't tell you okay. Just trust me," Harry's voice was strained. "I'll try to come home in a couple of days after I've gotten myself sorted out."

"Fine Harry," Harrison sounded strained and Harry could see the pain in his eyes.

"Thank you," Harry murmured, withdrawing his head from the fire before Tom could interject. He fell back onto the carpet with a thud. It had been harder then he thought. He looked back at Sirius and Remus who were still sitting on the couch. He smiled weakly. "See what I mean?" Harry questioned.

"Harry, you should probably go home before a couple of days are up," Remus stated, not looking at Harry directly.

"Why, do you not want me here?" Harry was hurt. He thought that at least with Remus and Sirius he could be normal if not entirely happy.

"Of course we do! I don't know what Remus is hinting at but-"

"Sirius, you keep forgetting that Harrison and Tom are Harry's parents. How would Lily and James have felt in their situation. Harry, are you forgetting your little sister too? What will she do if there's no big brother on Christmas day?" Harry turned his head away while Sirius simply glared at his "friend".

"Now, Harry, why don't you tell us about what's bothering you. It's clearly something beyond your parents," Remus said, breaking the uncomfortable silence.

"Okay, you know about Mr. Weasley, that a snake bit him," he paused a moment, waiting for confirmation. Remus and Sirius nodded slightly and Harry began again. "What you don't know is that, well, it's so hard to explain."

"Try us," Sirius stated, sounding surprisingly like Tom.

"Well, _I_ was the snake, I bit Mr. Weasley."

"That's crazy Harry. I know your prone to feel guilty about things that are out of your control but this is ridiculous!" Sirius exclaimed.

"Could you try and explain? I don't think I understand," Remus replied, a bit more calmly then Sirius had.

"Well, I was sleeping and suddenly I was there, in some room. I was the snake I thought like a snake."

"Has anything like this happened before?" Remus asked.

"Kind of, I've been having visions of Voldemort for quite some time but I've never experienced anything first hand," Harry cast his eyes to the floor feeling ashamed but oddly weightless.

"WHAT!" Sirius exclaimed, jumping to his feet. "How could you not have told us? How could you not have told me? Don't you see Harry. Voldemort could use this for ill if you keep it up, this is dangerous."

"So," Remus cut through Sirius's diatribe. "After you had this _vision_ you went and told Dumbledore that something was wrong?" Harry nodded. "Then you saved Mr. Weasley Harry. You have no need to feel guilty." Remus said it as if it were the most reasonable thing in the world. "And don't go blaming yourself. The only thing you did wrong was not telling anyone about these visions. I plan on owling Dumbledore in the morning about this if you need to punish yourself, that's your punishment." Harry didn't even try to complain. It felt nice, telling someone about all that had been on his mind.

"So what should I do about my parents?" he asked softly.

"I think you're probably right about trying to protect them," Remus responded. "There's really no other way that I can think of though I might try talking to Dumbledore. As it stands, you'll be going back first thing in the morning."

"Why Remus?" Sirius exclaimed.

"Because Sirius, how would Lily and James have felt if we kept Harry out of their grasp for God knows how long? They're probably worried sick and imagining all the ways Harry could die."

"Voice of bloody reason as always," Sirius grumbled. His face brightened though as he scampered out of the room. He came back with a brightly colored package in his hands. "Here Harry, don't open it till Christmas." Harry grinned and took the gift.

"Thanks, to both of you. I just needed somebody to talk to." They both nodded.

"Anytime."

"Yeah, anytime." Harry let out a stupendous yawn. "Hey," Sirius said. "Why don't you sleep and we'll wake you up in the morning." Harry nodded distractedly and closed his eyes.

6:00 am

"Harry, Harry wake up it's time to go. If you don't want to be accosted by Mrs. Weasley you better get up now," Harry sat up in alarm, sure it was Voldemort before he caught sight of Remus. "Sirius is going to transform and we're going to take a taxi to your house." Harry nodded, still dreading going home. No doubt he would spend the whole day under the watchful eyes of his parents, explaining and apologizing till he grew tongue tied. He rose and the whole room became vertical again.

Remus had already called a taxi and they walked outside to wait at the end of the road. Remus had taken Harry's bag and Harry had been given the job of reigning in Sirius. The group only had to wait a couple of minutes before a black taxi pulled up. "Where to?" the man asked gruffly, taking his cigarette from his lips. Harry shot out the address, trying hard not to breathe as they stepped into the cab. "No dogs in here," the man exclaimed as Sirius was about to hop in. A growl passed through his lips and the cab driver shut his mouth.

"It'll be fine Harry," Remus said comfortingly. Harry's face was pulled tight and his eyes stared blankly ahead. "They'll probably be too relieved to see you to ask too many questions." Harry rolled his eyes but said nothing. His parents may not know anything about the present wizarding world but the wizarding world knew nothing about his parents either.

The ride was surprisingly short which was a good thing for Harry pretty much held his breath the whole way. They pulled up in front of the house that Harry knew so well. He could see the outlines of two men pacing the floor in the living room. "Damn," he muttered. He had really made himself believe that they had gone to bed and he could sneak into his room and pretend it was all a dream.

"What?"

"Nothing, look, I don't think you two should come in. I'll handle it and anyone else would just make it worse." Remus nodded and Sirius gave a growl. Harry moved to the back of the cab and retrieved his duffle before laboriously making his way up the steps. Not feeling like knocking and waiting for the door to open, he fumbled for the key he had thrown the night before in his hurry to get away. While he was searching the cab drove off with Remus and Sirius and he was left alone in the cold, December morning. With annoyance he conceded that the key had somehow found it's way to the far reaches of Mars and, with hesitation, he rung the doorbell.

He heard hushed whispers and a scurry of slippered feet rushing to the door. With a bang, it clanged open and Harry was pulled inside. Before he knew what was happening, he was sitting down on the couch with two disgruntled and sleep deprived men in front of him. He bit his lip and looked down at the floor, trying to not feel their angry glares on the top of his head. No one spoke for a long time and Harry became a little nervous. Finally, Harry muttered "Sorry" just to break the silence. This seemed to release a dam of speech and Harry almost jumped at the sound of their voices in unison.

"Sorry?" they both nearly yelled.

"What do you mean "sorry" sorry for blowing up at the restaurant, "sorry" for leaving without even saying goodbye, or maybe "sorry" for being so unhelpful last night when you called?" Harrison asked in a deadly whisper. Harry bristled and looked up.

"Sorry for everything? Now I'm going upstairs to "think about what I've done" okay?" Harry replied. He got up from the couch and was about to make his way upstairs when he was pushed back down with the force of his two parents' grip.

"No Harry, we're past letting you just walk away," Tom said softly. "I personally am tired of the distance you seem hell-bent on creating between us." Harry bit his lip, trying not to cry. Crying was an emotional response he had learned from his Papa and he hated it then more then ever.

"Do you think I want to do it? Really, do you think I enjoy making you miserable, it's ki-ki-killing me," Harry's stomach caught as he tried hard not to let the sob out. It didn't work, he felt his body start shaking uncontrollably and tears began coursing down his face. He tried hard to cover it with his arm but his parents knew him too well.

"Harry, what's wrong?" Harrison asked, his voice loosing its edge. He sat down and put a "comforting" arm around his son.

"I can't," Harry forced out almost inaudibly.

"Why?" Tom asked, stroking Harry's shaggy hair. Harry no longer could speak. He dissolved into a complete sobbing fit. "It's okay Harry, it's okay. We're not mad at you. We were just worried sick. We love, we're not mad at you."

"That's right, you'll tell us when you're ready," Harrison murmured in his ear. "Sweet baby, just let all of the tears come out, we'll be here, we'll always be here."

A/N-I know this has been a long time coming and for that I apologize. It's been busy but that's really not an excuse I know. Things are happening in Harry's world that are making everything difficult. I like this chapter and I hope it's worth it R&R!


	9. Between You and Me

"To stating timidly

A timid similarity

We shall boast anyway:

Like love I say.

Like love we don't know where or why,

Like love we can't compel or fly,

Like love we often weep,

Like love we seldom keep."

-WH Auden from "Like Law and Love"

Christmas Eve crept like a spy, jumping on Harry from behind. Things were not, in a word, better but they were different. His parents, instead of grilling him as often as they drew breath, avoided any seemingly "touchy" topics of conversation. They stuck to Christmas related talk which pleased Harry, despite himself. Abby was as happy as a clam to have her big brother back and only mentioned once in fleeting the episode of his flight. Harry found that, if he avoided the subject, the rest of his family followed suit. He kept Sirius's gift in his room, buried under his untouched school books. There wasn't enough room under the massive tree anyway.

Decorating said tree was a rather involved affair ending in Harry carrying a extremely asleep Abby upstairs before covering his sleeping parents with a blanket. The tree was huge, the angel tickling the shiny panels on the ceiling. They had had to go out and buy new lights and ornaments just to keep the thing from looking bare. The end result was quite magnificent though, Harry conceded, as he lugged himself upstairs to bed.

Christmas Eve was busy as they had last minute shopping to do as always. Tom insisisted that he must be forgetting a couple dozen people on his list just to use as an excuse to go to Harrods. Harrison and Abby were only too happy to go along and Harry, by default, was reigned into the plan. Of course, he had tried to feign illness and want of homework time but, then more than ever, he was not to be left to his own devices.

"Harry, come on, let's go to the toy store!" Abby exclaimed, pulling his arm in earnest. He gave a glance to his parents who only smiled and shrugged.

"Just be back to the food court by noon," Harrison called after them. Harry allowed himself to be pulled into the huge toy store. He was shown the latest dolls and automated pets by Abby who spoke of them with unflinching childlike exuberance.

After Abby finally grew tired of the toy store, and had coaxed Harry into buying a three foot tall teddy bear as a pre-Christmas present, they walked on to the bookstore. Harry was forced into reading about some princess to Abby and Monsieur Monsieur (the bear). By then it was a quarter till noon and Harry pulled Abby toward the food court. Harrison and Tom were already standing at a counter ordering lunch when they came up. "What's that?" Harrison asked, gesturing at the two being on Harry's back.

"Your rather greedy daughter," Harry answered.

"Oh, really? What's the other thing?"

"Come _on_ Harry, really, they know who _I_ am. This," Abby said, gesturing at the bear, "is Monsieur Monsieur." Tom nodded, his eyebrows raised.

"And what would Ms. Princess like for lunch?" he asked as Harry let Abby and Monsieur Monsieur from his back. She answered and Harry was asked a matching question. He shrugged and was ordered something he couldn't pronounce.

Laden with packages, the family sat down in the park and unwrapped the edibles. Harry pushed around his plate of God know what apathetically. "Anything wrong Harry?" Harrison asked.

"Oh no, nothing. I'm just not that hungry right now." Truth be told, Harry was way too busy worrying about Voldemort and such to think about food.

"Really? You've been "not that hungry" for the last three days," Tom observed. Harry shrugged.

"So, Abby, are you looking foreword to tonight?" Harry asked, changing the subject.

"Yeah, did I tell you that I get _real_ wings?" Harry shook his head and let her describe them in all their feathery splendor. It was an easy way to tune out without anyone noticing. Abby had been given the role of Gabriel in the Christmas pageant. It struck no one as odd that a girl was playing a boy's part because Joseph was also a boy, as were two of the three wise men. It seemed that there was an extreme lack of male enthusiasm when it came to pageants. So, Abby had been given the loudest, only speaking part in the whole nativity. It seemed rather fitting to Harry who had played a shepherd the whole of childhood.

As they made their way to the car with their packages after finishing their shopping trip, Harrison sidled up to Harry, letting Tom and Abby zoom on ahead. "Is anything bothering you Harry?" he asked softly, hefting a bag a bit at his side. Harry shook his head vehemently and shot his dad a smile. "Are you sure? Because, you know, you can tell me anything." A gnawing guilt tore at Harry's insides. The words circled around in his head. If only he _could_ tell Dad anything.

Harry deposited his parcels on his bed. The room was neat, almost cryptically. It looked like a museum piece. "Look Mommy, is that what a kid's room _really _looked like?" He changed into suitable church attire and was about to exit the room when he caught sight of a letter on his desk. He walked over and picked it up. A searing pain shot through his forehead and he let out a little yelp.

"Is there anything wrong Harry?" Tom called up from the Master Bedroom.

"No, everything's fine, I just dropped a book on my foot!" Harry called back. He opened the letter slowly. It was written in blood red ink, sprawling, spidery cursive.

Harry,

I know where you are and I'll be coming for you. Don't think you've heard the last of Lord Voldemort.

A jolt of fear spread through him. Was Voldemort just bluffing? How could he know? Countless protections had been put around his family and he hadn't done anything to attract attention. He shrugged off the message, or, at least, he attempted to shrug off the message. He shredded it with vigor between his fingers and tossed the remnants into the trashcan. Quickly, he changed into his coal gray suite, green shirt and green tie. Pulling on his shoes as he walked out of the room.

Harry felt his arm for the third time during the car ride, each time coming to the same conclusion: his wand _was _in there. The car zoomed along the street toward the small church. Abby was bouncing up and down in her seat and muttering "And unto you a child is born." The letter had shaken Harry's nerves. Before he had thought that if he could just keep the whole big thing a secret from his parents it would all be okay. Lord knows keeping it a secret was burden enough. Now a crippling fear overtook him, washing over him, wave after wave till he grew tired.

Tom turned back to them. "You okay Harry? You look a little pale," he observed worriedly. Harry could only nod. It was obvious that no one was buying it. He bit his lip to keep from screaming and turned his eyes to the floor. "Abby, are you ready sweet?"

"Yes, I'm ready Papa," she nodded resolutely, her curls bouncing. "What were you in the pageant Harry?" she asked, nudging him a bit.

"Uh, uh, I was a shepard," he stuttered. "Every year, never got the part of Joseph."

"That's right," Harrison said in a reflective tone. "That nosy little preacher's kid, Allan Reddock, always got the part. You deserved it every time mind you." Abby grinned.

"I bet Allan Reddock was a terrible Joseph." They pulled up the church and stepped out of the car. Abby ran inside without so much as a wave goodbye, leaving Harry alone with his parents. It hadn't happened since the morning he got back and he couldn't help but feel a little nervous. They both closed in on either side him as if they were afraid he make a run for it.

They got a seat on the second row in the middle, a key spot for the coming of the angel. Harry checked his arm again, terrified that his wand had fallen out. "Why do you keep checking your arm Harry?" Tom asked in a whisper.

"Nothing, it just twinges a bit. I hit it on the door of my room," Harry lied. Tom nodded in such a way as to make it clear he didn't believe a word Harry was saying. Mrs. Taylor ambled up to their row just in time.

"Harry! How are you? We haven't seen you in ages. How's that school of yours?"

"Fine," Harry answered.

"He's doing incredibly well. He's the top of his class. Unfortunately, he's been doing a lot of homework over the holiday. How's Matt Mrs. Taylor?" Harrison fibbed quickly.

"Oh he's doing just wonderfully. All the teachers just love him-" Just as she was about to jump into a huge discussion about how wonderful her Matty was, Pastor Amory got up on the platform. "Oh dear, it looks like the program is about to start." Harrison and Tom nodded goodbye and she walked back to her seat at the back of the hall.

"Thank God she's gone," Tom muttered. Harry laughed weakly. The pageant was the same as it always was. The lambs somehow got lost on their way up to the front, a shepard hit Mary over the head with his cane, one of the cherubs started crying (Gregory Taylor) and his mother had to hurry up and take him back to her (Mrs. Taylor's) seat. Abby was stupendous…..ly loud. That put a smile on Harry's face for once. Yes, everything went on normally until the last verse of Hark the Herald Angels sing. Something exploded, shattering the stained glass windows on the left side of the sanctuary sending children and parents both scrambling to the floor.

The cherubs let out a scream of such a high frequency that all else melted away. They rushed out into the crowd, grabbing hold of any hand that would have them. Parents shouted out the names of their children. "Jesus Christ," someone exclaimed and, for once, no one turned to say anything. Harry's heart sunk into his stomach. Somehow, somehow he knew that it hadn't been a bomb, it had been a wand. He craned his neck in the direction of the explosion. To his horror, there stood Lord Voldemort with his red eyes gleaming in the still dimly lit sanctuary. Harry could feel his eyes boring into him with such intensity that it was all he could do to keep standing.

Vaguely, he heard "Tom, take Harry and get outside, I'll get Abby." He felt a tug at his arm and almost let himself be dragged away.

"Harry, come on, we have to get out of here," Tom said in a deadly whisper. Harry shook his head vigorously and ripped his arm from Tom's grasp. "Harry! This is not a game. I'm prepared to use force if I have to." Harry whirled around. His face was contorted in rage.

"This has to do with _me_ and me alone. I want you to get Dad and Abby out **now."**

"Harry, I don't really know what's been wrong with you lately but this is ridiculous. Not everything is your problem alright. You don't have to be a hero all of the time and now is the time in which you will _not_ be a hero. Do you hear me? I'm your father and you will do what I say." Harry turned away from him and pulled his wand from his sleeve.

"EVERYBODY OUT OF THE CHURCH NOW!" he bellowed in a voice more powerful then he would ever have thought possible. He walked foreword with a powerful urgency he had not had before. "THIS IS NOT A JOKE. OUT NOW!" He was slowly advancing on Voldemort who had turned away from the poor muggle family he had been tormenting to face his teenage nemesis.

"So Harry, we meet again? How good of you to join me," he hissed.

"This is between you and me _Tom_," Harry said, his voice fatally low.

"HARRY! OUTSIDE NOW!" he heard Harrison roar from behind him. He didn't even turn, his eyes not leaving Voldemort's smiling face. Harrison bounded foreword, grabbing hold of Harry's shoulder. He gave it an almighty wrench. "Harry, I swear to-" but Harry shot a freezing charm at him and he fell to the floor with a hollow thud.

"Get Abby out now Papa," he yelled. He then turned all of his attention on Voldemort. "This ends here," Harry said.

"Come now Harry, you know you're no match for me, especially now that I have your blood rushing through my veins. You're dear, deceased mother is protecting _me _now too."

To Be Continued.


	10. Harry Don't be a Hero: Grim Determinatio...

Harry was suddenly aware of himself. His breath moved in and out, he felt the ground with his toes. He vaguely heard Tom run over to Harrison. He hoped that his Papa had had the presence of mind to get Abby out before running to his unconscious mate. Harry let out a low growl and he and Voldemort began circling. Harry knew that he was going to have to make the first move or he'd be dead meat. "So, Harry, we meet again. What a pleasant surprise. I see you've brought your family with you as well." Voldemort's gaze shifted over to Harrison and Tom and then to a small figure beside the pulpit. He ran through his brain to find the proper attack. Raising his wand above his head and bringing it down with a magnificent swish his voice rang out "Serpentsortia!" a snake fell from the ceiling, crashing down in front of him. With a hiss, he ordered the snake toward Lord Voldemort. He didn't have time to listen to the gasps of surprise from behind him.

"Bad move Harry," Voldemort hissed. "You forget that I too have that gift." Harry used Voldemort's distraction to send another hex at him. "Diffindo!" It seemed to work for an instant. A cut opened on Voldemort's arm but it soon closed. Harry realized that he had awakened the beast. "Now we begin." Voldemort's voice was a mixture of venom, annoyance, amusement and, dare it be said, fear. Harry made sure he stayed in between his family and Voldemort.

Harry muttered something to the snake who darted to Voldemort. Voldemort hissed back but the snake, thank goodness, decided that Harry's orders were the first thing on the brain. Voldemort, for once, seemed completely confused by the snake's lack of obedience. Harry used Voldemort's conundrum to strike again. "Furnunculus!" The spell seemed to work. Small, red boils popped over Voldemort's body like little ants were trying to push their way through his skin. Voldemort let out a little shriek allowing the snake to sink its teeth into Voldemort's foot. Harry almost did a little jig of self adulation-big mistake.

Voldemort might have been taken for a moment but only a moment. With stupendous rancor, Voldemort yelled "Crucio!" a pain such as Harry had never felt before (he had of course forgotten the same pain felt the previous summer) surged through his body, bringing him to his knees. From his lips a groan of pain split. He vaguely heard Tom let out a sob and Voldemort, a sadistic cackle. The moments blurred together but all Harry could feel or sense was that black pain. He became the pain-black and surging.

Then, from that inky blackness he heard Voldemort hiss "Crucio". The pain left him-shivering on the ground. It took a moment to realize why he no longer was in pain. He was jerked from his perplexity by the shriek of poor Abby. His head reeled to where she had been huddling. Her body was contorted and her face was the picture of torture.

"STOP NOW!" Harry ran toward Voldemort and threw his arms around the "man's" arms, stopping the curse. Voldemort smiled

"So I see your weakness now, your dear little sister."

"TAKE ME, TAKE ME INSTEAD!" Harry pleaded.

"Fine, but only because I know once you're dead I can do anything I want to anyone I want." Harry heard Tom scurry over to Abby who was unconscious on the floor. Voldemort uttered the fatal words again and the pain came like a gift to Harry who took it gladly. Silently he begged Tom to get Abby out.

Gradually, Harry grew numb to everything; he felt his mind fade in and out of animation. He felt his eyelids close and his mind grew fuzzy. He hardly noticed when the pain stopped. He never did know what happened…….(no, I'm not that mean).

Tom and Harrison sat beside the bed, sterile white. Their son lay on the bed, white as a ghost, white as everything around him. His black hair seemed dull against the pillowcase. Occasionally he would give a shudder or a moan but nothing more. Abby was okay, she had woken only a couple hours after the battle. She was staying with some friends as Harrison and Tom spent all of their time at the hospital. Beside Harry's bed lay the man who had saved his life.

The man was pale and sunken. His hair was long, black as pitch and lay in oily clumps. His and Harry's breathing seemed to have sermonized. Neither of Harry's two parents uttered a word. They only gazed at their sweet baby-now hero. 'How could he have kept so much from them?' they often wondered. They fixed their eyes on him-watching for some form of life, some piece of him as they had known. No breath, no twitch escaped them for it was their secret fear that it would be his last movement.

The healers didn't have much hope. He had been badly hurt-no one had suffered the Cruciatus Curse for so long and lived. Whatever this curse had been-Tom had watched it, unable to do a thing. Dumbledore had filled them in as much as he could. Their baby, hero of the world. His shoulders looked broader, his chin more noble.

"Tom, Harrison," they looked up. A plump, red haired lady stood in the doorway; her face was ashen and she was ringing her hands.

"What is it Molly?" Harrison croaked.

"I-I brought a casserole," with her wand she brought a steaming dish into the room. "I know-I know how hard it is to wait and wait. I saw you hadn't been eating and-oh I'm so sorry." Tom smiled weakly.

"Thank you Molly. How's Arthur?"

"He's getting better. I was visiting him upstairs. Um, well, I feel so awful asking but-well Ron and Hermione-"

"They should come and visit Harry," Harrison finished. She smiled widely and nodded. Gingerly, she placed the casserole on the bedside table.

"Is Sirius all right?"

"I think he and Harry are in about the same boat," Harrison replied. The Sirius thing was throwing him for a loop. He had never met the guy in his life and apparently he was hugely important in Harry's life.

More days past and new stories of Voldemort's wrath spread like wildfire. A universal call for Harry was sounded but their hero lay, nearly dead, in a hospital bed at St. Mungo's. That is, until one day. Harrison and Tom had fallen asleep-their heads at odd angles and their feet propped up on the hospital bed. Harry's eyes flickered open in the early morning sun. His sight was blurred and he reached around for his glasses.

Looking around, he sufficed he was not in the church any longer. He began muttering to himself-waking his parents. They sat in amazement for a moment before both throwing their arms around Harry. "Where is he, where is he?" Harry garbled against Tom's shirt-sleeves.

"Where's who sweet?" Harrison asked, tearing up.

"Voldemort, where is he? Where's Abby, where am I?"

"Harry calm down. You're at St. Mungo's, Abby is with Steve and Terrence, Voldemort, well I don't know where he is."

"What happened, what happened," Harry didn't look like he was going to be doing any "calming down". His head twisted in all directions, trying to take in information from the very hospital room itself.

"Harry," Harrison barked authoritatively. "If you don't calm down we will have to call the healers. We almost lost you and I'm not about to let you die of a heart attack." Harry breathed deeply.

"Is everyone okay?" he asked tentatively ,trying to keep himself contained.

"Abby's fine. Some people, I think they called themselves the Order or something, came right after you blacked out. A guy named Sirius started battling this Voldemort guy and.."

"Where's Sirius?" Harry asked worriedly. Tom pointed to Sirius's bed and Harry turned. He gasped and a tear rolled down his cheek. "Is he, is he-"

"Dead? No, he's still alive."

"Is he alright?"

"We don't know; the healers said they didn't have much hope for you so anything can happen." Harry tried to stand up only to be pushed back down by Tom's hand.

"Harry, you can't worry about everything yourself. Being the hero almost killed you."

"What happened exactly after I blacked out?"

"Well, Sirius started fighting Voldemort. Then, after Sirius collapsed, Dumbledore showed and Voldemort fled before anything else could be done. Mediwizards came and brought Sirius, you, and Abby to St. Mungo's. The minister of magic came and-"

"Oh no! I totally forgot about Sirius. What's going to happen?" Tom shrugged. "This is terrible," Harry sighed miserably, burying his head in his hands.

"Harry, it isn't your fault," Harrison said, putting a reassuring hand on Harry's shoulder. Harry blubbered like a baby.

"You're wrong," Harry choked out through his tears.

"It _is_ my fault, all my fault. If I had just run away like I was going to then nothing would have happened. It's me Voldemort wants; I should just give myself up."

"Harry Potter Barkler!" Tom said, his voice taking on an angry sharpness. "Don't you ever say anything like that again! If you ran away what would happen? As much as I hate to say it, you're the only hero, the only one who can right this wrong. It is not your fault, but, from what I hear, it is your responsibility. You're the only one who can defeat him. You're the only one who can make this world safe. I never saw it before, I never saw how strong you had become. You have to stay strong or everything will go to hell."

Harry sat back. The fact that everything was on his shoulders was less scary than before. Perhaps it was because he had changed from the perpetrator to the hero. He vowed to himself then and there that he would valiant. He would do his family proud and make the world safe for his children, for his sister, for Ginny. Wait, what was that? Why did he think Ginny? His children, his sister, they all made sense but Ginny? Why Ginny?

Never the less, Harry turned his head to the window. He gazed at the bright, shining sun and set his face in grim determination. Voldemort would pay.


End file.
